


Written on His Hands (in Blood)

by lucidscreamer



Series: 100 Yu-Gi-Oh Prompts [10]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Alternate Universe - Horror, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Ancient Egypt, Bathing/Washing, Friendship, Gen, Guilt, Mild Blood, Vampire Family, Vampire Lord Atem
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2020-01-07 15:28:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18413465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucidscreamer/pseuds/lucidscreamer
Summary: "Where have you been?" Set demanded, folding his arms over his chest and running his gaze over the once-white linen that clung to Atem's legs. Both cloth and skin were spattered with drying blood that appeared almost black in the light of the oil lamps. "And what have you been doing? Rolling in a rotting carcass like a lion on a kill?"Atem stalked past him. "I found two more of the Soulless Ones. Lady Tiya and... and my Mut-tuy."





	Written on His Hands (in Blood)

**Author's Note:**

> started: November, 2018  
> finished: 4/5/2019
> 
> Prompt: 97. Naked (100 YGO Themes)  
> Prompt: 06. Absolution (10 Vampires prompts)
> 
> Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! is the creation of Kazuki Takahashi. No ownership of the canon characters, settings, or events is claimed and none should be implied.
> 
> Original vampire lore in this series is the sole property of Lucidscreamer.

Set was waiting for Atem when he finally returned to the palace just before dawn. The wielder of the Thousand Year Scepter scowled at his king.

"Where have you been?" Set demanded, folding his arms over his chest and running his gaze over the once-white linen that clung to Atem's legs. Both cloth and skin were spattered with drying blood that appeared almost black in the light of the oil lamps. "And what have you been doing? Rolling in a rotting carcass like a lion on a kill?"

Atem stalked past him. "I found two more of the Soulless Ones. Lady Tiya and... and my Mut-tuy."

Instantly ashamed, Seto choked out, "...Where?"

"In the desert, beyond the Place of Beauty."

The Place of Beauty was a smaller valley, adjacent to the Great Place, where kings' wives were often interred; the tomb of _Hemet-nisu-weret_ Mut-tuy was being prepared there. When she had disappeared from the palace... Set could only suppose that her killer had taken her and Lady Tiya there, before or after he had slain them.

Atem's voice held barely controlled fury that resonated with the anger coiled in Set's own heart when he added, "Both were likely making their way toward the workers' village. I do not believe they could have crossed the river."

Quickly grabbing one of the lamps, Set followed on Atem's heels and the Pharaoh strode further into the private apartments. Ignoring Set, Atem went straight for his bathing chamber. Set knew that the tall water pot there was full; he had seen the servants refilling it earlier. Atem picked up a small clay bowl from the nearby shelf and scooped up some of the lukewarm water to sluice over his arms. He had barely gotten one arm wet when Set plucked the bowl from his hand.

Set sighed and placed the lamp on floor by the doorway. In that position, it cast little light, but neither he nor the king required much light in order to see. They had found their eyes better adapted to the dim illuminations of the night than the blessed brightness of day. Studying Atem in the flickering shadows, Set added, "If you won't summon a servant, at least let me help you. Sit down."

Apparently too tired or too impatient to argue, Atem pulled off his filthy kilt and dropped it to the floor of the bathing chamber before sinking down onto the wooden stool at the center. Set had never seen his king look so tired. He supposed it was due to the weight on the king's heart; it took much to physically exhaust their changed bodies now.

Removing the natron jar from its place on the shelf, Set poured some of the cleansing salts into the bowl and mixed in water to make a paste. Then he retrieved a new bowl and, using it, began pouring clean water over Atem's body, washing away some of the gore that covered the king's long limbs. Rotten blood had spattered across his torso above the belt of his kilt, marking his brown skin with slimy black streaks. Atem dipped his fingers into the natron paste that Set offered him and scrubbed at the dark stains on his abdomen before moving down to his legs.

"You said that you ...found her?" Set wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer, but he needed to know. _Hemet-nisu-weret_ Mut-tuy was the latest victim that he knew of, and the closest to Pharaoh so far. Set clenched his free hand to hide its trembling as fresh anger coursed through him. "Mut-tuy?"

"Her body, yes. It spoke to me... But I sensed no true life within it, nothing of the woman I knew. Only hungry Shadows seeking to spread their foul curse. When she spoke... I think the Shadows were taunting me."

Briefly, Set placed his hand on Atem's shoulder, offering silent support. "Is she--?" He swallowed and tried again. "What did Your Majesty do?"

"I destroyed Mut-tuy's gentle heart." The Pharaoh's voice broke on the final word. He took a moment to recover his poise before continuing. "I destroyed what was left of Lady Tiya's heart as well."

Set's sharp inhale was his only immediate response, though his hand shook when he poured another bowlful of water over Atem. The water trickled to the floor, discolored with old blood and dark mud. Some servant would have a time cleaning the tiles around the drain hole come daylight. Finally, he asked, "And their bodies?"

"Still on the edge of the desert. Given their condition, I doubt even scavengers will touch them."

Even the thought of such desecration was abhorent. Set shuddered, hearing the same revulsion in Atem's tone when he spoke of it. Set took it as a personal insult that the evil-doer responsible for setting these monsters loose continued to target the palace, seeming to laugh in the face of the royal guards. And as soon as he had settled Atem, Set planned to find Mahaad and give his fellow Chosen Priest an earful of his displeasure. Despite their recent change of circumstance, Mahaad remained in charge of the necropolis guards. How had the evil one gotten past them? How had the _Soulless Ones_ gotten by them? Was there a traitor in their ranks? A horrible notion rose in Set's mind, but the Pharaoh interrupted Set's thoughts before it could fully take shape.

"Send someone to recover what remains of both bodies." Atem shifted so he could meet Set's gaze. "Let the embalmers do what they can. We will bury my wife and her friend with as much dignity as possible."

"I will see to it myself, Your Majesty." They were both silent for a time after that, the only sound the trickle of the water as it ran over Atem's skin, sluicing away the blood. Finally, Set spoke. "You did the right thing, you know. It was the only thing you _could_ do."

Atem's shoulders sagged. "I condemned two souls to the void tonight."

"No, you prevented them from condemning _other_ souls. The evil one who murdered them is the one who condemned _Hemet-nisu-weret_ Mut-tuy and Lady Tiya, not you."

Atem's back straightened and, when he spoke, it was with fresh determination. "I will find the one who set this plague upon us and I will erase their existence from my lands."

The words rang in the small room with the force of a vow, and Set felt the press of magic behind it. With equal conviction, he made a vow of his own to see that Pharaoh's will was accomplished without delay, no matter what it took to make it so.

　

o0o

**Author's Note:**

> Hemet-nisu-weret -- King's Great Wife (previously translated "Great Royal Wife")
> 
> Lady Tiya = Tea Gardner's AE incarnation
> 
> Mut-Tuy = Yugi Mutou's AE incarnation (female)
> 
> The Place of Beauty is the Queens' Valley necropolis; The Great Place is the Valley of the Kings. 
> 
> I found this, which I'd forgotten about, and another scene that could be reworked to fit this universe, so these ancient vampires now have their own series. Because I needed another series... (>.<) So, one more installment set in AE for sure, and then there may be a way to connect this series to some scenes I have with a modern setting. We'll see.


End file.
